Grab fork attachment for a loader bucket

ABSTRACT

A grab fork attachment for a loader bucket which may be quickly attached thereto and removed therefrom. The attachment comprises a tower frame means which is adapted to be selectively secured to the rearward side of the loader bucket back wall and a pivotal arm means extending forwardly from the upper end of the tower frame means. A plurality of spaced apart forks or teeth elements are secured to the forward end of the arm means and extend downwardly therefrom towards the open forward end of the loader bucket. At least two of the teeth elements have extension means extending therefrom to add stability to the attachment when the attachment is removed from the loader bucket and positioned on the ground. A hydraulic cylinder means connects the forward end of the arm means and the tower frame means for movement of the teeth elements with respect to the loader bucket. A locking means is provided on the tower frame means and the rearward side of the loader bucket to permit the tower frame means to be quickly secured to the loader bucket. A clamp means is secured to the tower frame means and detachably receives the upper end of the loader bucket to further secure the attachment to the loader bucket. A modified form of the attachment is also disclosed wherein the hydraulic cylinder means is positioned rearwardly of the rearward side of the loader bucket. The method of mounting the attachment on the loader bucket is also disclosed.

United States Patent Westendorf [54] GRAB FORK ATTACHMENT FOR A LOADERBUCKET inventor: Walter J. Westendorf, Smithland,

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 209,914 7/1957 Great Britain ..2l4/l44Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-George F. AbrahamAttorney-Zarley, McKee & Thomte 1451 Oct. 24, 1972 ABSTRACT A grab forkattachment for a loader bucket which may be quickly attached thereto andremoved therefrom. The attachment comprises a tower frame means which isadapted to be selectively secured to the rearward side of the loaderbucket back wall and a pivotal arm means extending forwardly from theupper end of the tower frame means. A plurality of spaced apart forks orteeth elements are secured to the forward end of the arm means andextend downwardly therefrom towards the open forward end of the loaderbucket. At least two of the teeth elements have'extension meansextending therefrom to add stability to the attachment when theattachment is removed from the loader bucket and positioned on theground. A hydraulic cylinder means connects the forward end of the armmeans and the tower frame means for movement of the teeth elements withrespect to the loader bucket. A locking means is provided on the towerframe means and the rearward side of the loader bucket to .permit thetower frame means to be quickly secured 7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures I 35it 36- I PATENTEDHBI 24 m2 SHEET 1 OF 2 i L "W auili j? m f h h mi. n.

HZ it "h I M Mums/r04 SHEET 2 OF 2 I are secured. Many tractor loadersare used by ranchersand farmers to handle material such as dirt, gravel,snow, etc. A bucket attachment is secured to the booms when suchmaterials are being handled. If the loader is going to be used forhandling hay, ensilage, etc., a grab fork attachment is substituted forthe loader bucket which necessitates considerable expense and whichrequires considerable time to change the attachments. Further, theconventional grab fork attachments are not sufficiently durable so as towithstand stress imposed therein. Additionally, it is very difficult toconveniently position the conventional grab fork attachments on theground or the like when the attachment is removed from the loader.

Therefore, it is a principal object of this invention to provide a grabfork attachment for a loader bucket.

A, further object of this invention is to provide a grab fork attachmentwhich is quickly and easily attached to a loader bucket.

- Afurther object of this invention is to provide a grab fork attachmentwhich is conveniently positioned on the ground and which is stablethereon when the attachment is removed from the loader bucket.

A further object of this invention is to provide a grab fork attachmentfor a loader bucket which permits the removal of frozen ensilage or thelike.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for guiding agrab fork attachment into position on a loader bucket.

A further object of this invention is to provide a grab fork attachmentfor a loader bucket having sufficient strength to resist stress forcesimposed therein.

A further object of this invention is to provide a grab fork attachmentfor a loader bucket which is economical of manufacture, durable in useand refined in ap pearance.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements andcombination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objectscontemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth,specifically pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the attachment of this inventionmounted on a loader bucket.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view seen along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial rear view of the attachment mounted on a loaderbucket.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view seen along lines 44 of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 5-8 are side views which illustrate the sequence in attaching theattachment to a loader bucket; and

FIG. 9 is a side view of a modified form of the attachment.

The numeral 10 refers to a conventional loader bucket which has beenslightly modified to accommodate the grab fork 12 illustrated in FIGS.1-8. Bucket 10 includes a bottom wall 14, side walls 16 and 18, backwall 20, including wall portion 22. For purposes of description, bucket10 will be described as having a forward end 24 and a rearward end 26.

A pair of spaced apart rearwardly extending plates 28 and 30 are weldedto the rearward side of back wall 20 and have an inverted V-shaped guide31 at their upper ends. The forward end of boom arm 32 is pivotallyconnected at 34 to the plates 28 and 30 adjacent the lower end thereofwhile the forward end of hydraulic cylinder 36 is pivotally connected at38 to the plates 28 and 30 above 34. Hook 40 is secured to plate 30 andextends rearwardly therefrom as seen in FIG. 2. Hook 40 is provided withan arcuate notch 42 extending upwardly thereinto from a lower endthereof as seen in FIG. 4.

A pair of spaced apart rearwardly extending plates 28 and 30' are weldedto the rearward side of back wall 20 inwardly of side wall 16 and havean inverted V-shaped guide 31' at their upper ends. The forward end ofboom arm 32 is pivotally connected to theplates 28 and 30 adjacentthelower end thereof while the forwardend of hydraulic cylinder 36 ispivotally connec ted'at 38 to the plates 28 and 30 above the forward endof the boom 32'. Hook 40' is secured to the plate 30' and extendsrearwardly therefrom in identical fashion to the hook 40; The hook 40 isalso provided with an arcuate notch which extends upwardly thereintofrom the lower end thereof identical to the notch 42 in hook 40.

The numeral 44 refers generally to a tower frame means which isdetachably mounted on the rearward side of back wall 20 when theattachment is being used in conjunction with the loader bucket. Framemeans 44 includes a pair of spaced apart frame members 46 and 48 havinga pipe or shaft 50 rotatably secured to and extending between the upperends thereof. Post 52 is positioned between frame members 46 and 48 withits upper enddisposed above the upper ends of frame members 46 and 48.Braces 54 and 56 connect the lower ends of frame member 46, post 52 andframe member 48. Arms 58 and 60 are secured at one end thereof to pipe50 and normally extend forwardly therefrom for movement therewith. Crossarm 62 extends between the other ends of arms 58 and 60 and has aplurality of spaced apart teeth 64 secured thereto which normally extenddownwardly therefrom transversely with respect to the longitudinal axesof arms 58 and 60. As seen in the drawings, the outermost teeth haveextension portions 64A above the cross arm 62. Portions 64A each have aground engaging plate 66 thereon as will be explained in more detailhereinafter.

Hydraulic cylinder 68 is pivotally connected at its base end to theupper endof post 52 and is pivotally connected at its other end to crossarm 62 at 71. Extension of the cylinder rod from the cylinder 68 causesthe arms 58 and 60 to pivot in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG.4. Hydraulic cylinder 68 is a double action cylinder and has hoses 70and 72 extending therefrom adapted to be connected to the tractorhydraulic system.

An elongated horizontally disposed connection means 74 which is bestdescribed as comprising a clip or clamp is secured to the frame members46 and 48 and extends therebetween and outwardly therefrom as seen inthe drawingsConnection means 74 includes a substantially verticallydisposed back wall 76 and a forwardly extending wall portion 78 at thelower end of back wall 76. Wall portion 78 includes a portion 80 whichextends downwardly and thence rearwardly from the forward end thereof todefine a channel area 82 adapted to receive the forwardly extending topedge 84 of back wall 20 as illustrated in FIG. 4. Connection means 74also includes reinforcing plates 86 and 88 at its opposite ends.

A connection means 90 is provided at the lower end of the tower framemeans 44 for detachably securing the tower frame means to the hooks 40and 40. Shaft 92 is rotatably connected to the frame members 46 and 48and extends therebetween as illustrated in FIG. 3. Shaft 92 alsorotatably extends through post 52. Shaft portions 94 and 96 are weldedto the opposite ends of shaft 92 in an offset relationship with respectto the longitudinal axis of shaft 92 and are adapted to be received inthe notches 42 and 42 as will be explained more completely hereinafter.Handle 98 is secured to shaft 92 and extends transversely therefrom asillustrated in FIG. 3. Locking lever 100 is pivotally connected to thelower end of post 52 and is adapted to be pivoted over the handle 98 tomaintain the handle 98 in a locked position. f With respect to FIG. 9,the modified attachment is generally identified with the referencenumeral 102. The attachment 102 is substantially identical to theattachment 12 except that the hydraulic cylinder 104 is positionedrearwardly of the rearward side of the loader bucket rather than on topas in attachment 12. Withdrawal of the rod 106 into the cylinder 104causes the rearward end of the arm 108 to pivot downwardly abouttheshaft 50 to cause the teeth 64' to move upwardly away from the bucket10'. Conversely, extension of the rod 106 causes the teeth 64' to movetowards the bucket 10.

With respect to FIGS. 1-8, the normal method of operation is as follows.FIG. illustrates the attachment 12 positioned on the ground 13 or othersuitable supporting surface. It can be seen that the ground engaging.plates 66 on the extension portions 64A engage the ground laterally ofthe center of the attachment to increase the stability of the attachmentwhen the attachment is positioned on the ground in a nonoperativeposition. The tractor is driven adjacent the attachment 12 asillustrated in FIG. 5 with the bucket being maneuvered into the positionas also illustrated in FIG. 5. The hydraulic hoses 70 and 72 are thenconnected to the tractor hydraulic system so that the hydraulic cylinder68 may be operated. Hydraulic cylinder 68 is then operated to cause thetower frame means 44 to pivot from the substantially horizontal positionof FIG. 5 to the position of FIG. 6. The tractor is then drivenforwardly so that the forwardly extending wall portion 84 of the bucket10 passes below the tower frame means 44 and is positioned in thechannel area 82 of the connection means 74. The hydraulic cylinder 68and the hydraulic cylinders 36 and 36' are then simultaneously operatedso that the wall portion 84 is completely received in the channel area82 and so that the tower frame means 44 is pivoted closely adjacent therearward side of the back wall as seen in FIG. 7. The operator thendismounts from the tractor and pivotally moves the shaft 92 by means ofthe handle 98 frame means 44 to the bucket 10. Lever 100 isthenpivotally moved over the handle 98 to lock the shaft 92 in position. Theguides 31 and 31' serve to guide the frame members 46 and 48 intoposition between the plates and 30 as the tower frame means 44 is beingpivoted into position. Thus, the guides 31 and 31 aid in positioning theattachment with respect to the loader which eliminates the necessity ofexactly positioning the tractor with respect to the attachment.

The connection means 74 prevents the tower frame means 44 from movingrearwardly with respect to the bucket 10 and also prevents undesirablevertical movement of the tower frame means 44 with respect to the bucket10. The connection means 90 securely attaches the lower 'end of thetower frame means 44 to the bucket and prevents rearward movement of thetower frame means 44 with respect to the bucket 10. Operation of thehydraulic cylinder 68 permits the teeth 64 to be moved from the positionof FIG. 7 to the position of FIG. 8 so. that the material to be handledcan be received between the teeth and the bucket with the teeth 64. thenbeing'lowered downwardly into engagement with the material so as tograsp or grab the material between the teeth and the bucket.

The attachment is easily removed from the bucket by simply pivoting thebucket until the-teeth 64 are parallel to the ground and then loweringthe same into ground engagement. Lever 100 is then pivoted to permithandle 98 to be pivoted so as to disengage the shaft portions 94 and 96from the hooks 40 and 40'. The tower frame means 44 and bucket 10 arethen simultaneously pivoted to cause the wall portion 84 to disengagefrom the channel area 82. When the wall portion 84 has been sodisengaged, the tractor is moved rearwardly with respect to theattachment so that the tower frame means 44 can be pivoted withoutstriking the bucket. The tower frame means 44 is then pivoted to ahorizontal position such as seen in FIG. 5 to more properly balance theattachment to insure its stability. The hydraulic hoses and 72 are thendisconnected and the tractor may then be used for other purposes.

It can be seen that a novel grab fork attachment has been provided for aloader bucket which may be quickly and easily mounted thereon or removedtherefrom. The attachment of this invention is extremely durable in useand provides a grab fork means without the necessity of removing thebucket from the tractor loader. Thus it can be seen that the inventionaccomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.

I claim;

1. In combination,

a loader bucket means having a back wall with upper and lower ends andrearward and forward sides, said bucket means having an open forward endportion,

and a fork means detachably secured to said loader bucket means, saidfork means comprising a frame means detachably secured to said back walland a grab fork means pivotally connected to said frame means adapted tomove towards the forward end portion of said bucket means to maintainmaterial between said grab fork means and said bucket means,

said frame means being positioned adjacent the rearward side of saidback wall, and connection means connecting said frame means to saidloader bucket means,

said connection means comprising a first connection means connectingsaid frame means to said back wall at the upper end thereof and a secondconnection means operatively connecting said frame means to said backwall below the upper end thereof,

a pair of spaced apart hook elements extending rearwardly from said backwall, said secondconnection means comprising a horizontally disposedshaft rotatably mounted on said frame means about its longitudinal axis,and means at the opposite ends of said shaft for detachable connectionto said hook elements upon selective rotation of I said shaft.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means at the opposite ends ofsaid shaft comprise eccentric elements adapted to be detachably receivedby said hook elements. g

3. In combination,

a loader bucket means having a back wall with upper and lower ends andrearward and forward sides, said bucket means having an open forward endportion,

and a fork means detachably secured to said loader bucket means, saidfork means comprising a frame means detachably secured to said back walland a grab fork means pivotally connected to said frame means adapted tomove towards the forward end portion of said bucket means to maintainmaterial between said grab fork means and said bucket means,

said frame means being positioned adjacent the rearward side of saidback wall, and connection means connecting said frame means to saidloader bucket means,

said frame means comprising first and second spaced apart frame membershaving upper and lower ends, the upper ends of said frame members beingpositioned above the upper end of said back wall, first and second armsoperatively pivotally connected at one end thereof to the upper ends ofsaid first and second frame members and normally extending forwardlytherefrom, fork elements secured to the other ends of said first andsecond arms and normally extending downwardly therefrom, a post meansbetween said first and second frame members operatively connectedthereto and having an upper end positioned above the upper end of saidback wall, and a hydraulic cylinder means pivotally connected at one endto the upper end of said post means and pivotally connected at its otherend to said first and second and lower ends and rearward and forwardsides said bucket means having an open forward end portion, and a forkmeans detachably secured to said loader bucket means, said fork meanscomprising a frame means detachably secured to said back wall and a grabfork means pivotally connected to said frame means adapted to movetowards the forward end portion of said bucket means to maintainmaterial between said grab fork means and said bucket means, said framemeans being positioned adjacent the rearward side of said back wall andhaving upper and lower ends,

lower connection means detachably securing said frame means adjacent itslower end to said loader bucket means,

upper connection means detachably securing said frame means to the upperend of said loader bucket means, said upper connection means comprisinga channel means on said frame means adapted to be detachably received-bythe upper end of said back wall of said loader bucket means.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said back wall has a normallyforwardly extending wall portion which is received by said channelmeans.

6. The combination of claim 4 wherein said grab fork means comprisesfirst and second spaced apart arms having rearward and forward ends andbeing pivotally secured at their rearward ends to said frame means ad-40 jacent the upper end thereof, a plurality of fork elements secured tothe forward ends of said first and second arms and extendingtransversely therefrom towards said bucket means, said fork elementsadapted to engage the ground along their lengths to serve as groundengaging stabilizers for supporting the fork means on a supportingsurface when the fork means is removed from the loader bucket means.

7. The combination of claim 4 wherein a pair of spaced apart guideelements are secured to the rearward side of said back wall, said guideelements having upper and lower ends and being positioned on oppositesides of said frame means, said guide elements having guides on theirupper ends for guiding said frame means therebetween as said fork meansis being mounted on said loader bucket means.

1. In combination, a loader bucket means having a back wall with upperand lower ends and rearward and forward sides, said bucket means havingan open forward end portion, and a fork means detachably secured to saidloader bucket means, said fork means comprising a frame means detachablysecured to said back wall and a grab fork means pivotally connected tosaid frame means adapted to move towards the forward end portion of saidbucket means to maintain material between said grab fork means and saidbucket means, said frame means being positioned adjacent the rearwardside of said back wall, and connection means connecting said frame meansto said loader bucket means, said connection means comprising a firstconnection means connecting said frame means to said back wall at theupper end thereof and a second connection means operatively connectingsaid frame means to said back wall below the upper end thereof, a pairof spaced apart hook elements extending rearwardly from said back wall,said second connection means comprising a horizontally disposed shaftrotatably mounted on said frame means about its longitudinal axis, andmeans at the opposite ends of said shaft for detachable connection tosaid hook elements upon selective rotation of said shaft.
 2. Thecombination of claim 1 wherein said means at the opposite ends of saidshaft comprise eccentric elements adapted to be detachably received Bysaid hook elements.
 3. In combination, a loader bucket means having aback wall with upper and lower ends and rearward and forward sides, saidbucket means having an open forward end portion, and a fork meansdetachably secured to said loader bucket means, said fork meanscomprising a frame means detachably secured to said back wall and a grabfork means pivotally connected to said frame means adapted to movetowards the forward end portion of said bucket means to maintainmaterial between said grab fork means and said bucket means, said framemeans being positioned adjacent the rearward side of said back wall, andconnection means connecting said frame means to said loader bucketmeans, said frame means comprising first and second spaced apart framemembers having upper and lower ends, the upper ends of said framemembers being positioned above the upper end of said back wall, firstand second arms operatively pivotally connected at one end thereof tothe upper ends of said first and second frame members and normallyextending forwardly therefrom, fork elements secured to the other endsof said first and second arms and normally extending downwardlytherefrom, a post means between said first and second frame membersoperatively connected thereto and having an upper end positioned abovethe upper end of said back wall, and a hydraulic cylinder meanspivotally connected at one end to the upper end of said post means andpivotally connected at its other end to said first and second armswhereby actuation of said hydraulic cylinder means causes said first andsecond arms to pivotally move with respect to said first and secondframe members and with respect to said loader bucket means so that saidfork elements move towards and away from the forward end portion of saidloader bucket means.
 4. In combination, a loader bucket means having aback wall with upper and lower ends and rearward and forward sides, saidbucket means having an open forward end portion, and a fork meansdetachably secured to said loader bucket means, said fork meanscomprising a frame means detachably secured to said back wall and a grabfork means pivotally connected to said frame means adapted to movetowards the forward end portion of said bucket means to maintainmaterial between said grab fork means and said bucket means, said framemeans being positioned adjacent the rearward side of said back wall andhaving upper and lower ends, lower connection means detachably securingsaid frame means adjacent its lower end to said loader bucket means,upper connection means detachably securing said frame means to the upperend of said loader bucket means, said upper connection means comprisinga channel means on said frame means adapted to be detachably received bythe upper end of said back wall of said loader bucket means.
 5. Thecombination of claim 4 wherein said back wall has a normally forwardlyextending wall portion which is received by said channel means.
 6. Thecombination of claim 4 wherein said grab fork means comprises first andsecond spaced apart arms having rearward and forward ends and beingpivotally secured at their rearward ends to said frame means adjacentthe upper end thereof, a plurality of fork elements secured to theforward ends of said first and second arms and extending transverselytherefrom towards said bucket means, said fork elements adapted toengage the ground along their lengths to serve as ground engagingstabilizers for supporting the fork means on a supporting surface whenthe fork means is removed from the loader bucket means.
 7. Thecombination of claim 4 wherein a pair of spaced apart guide elements aresecured to the rearward side of said back wall, said guide elementshaving upper and lower ends and being positioned on opposite sides ofsaid frame means, said guide elements having guides on their upper endsfor guiding said frame means therebetween as said fork means is beingmounted on said loader bucket means. >